Air-break switch



F. BECHOFF AN M". M. SAMUELS.

AIR BREAK SWITCH. RPPLKCATION' FILED ulna. 1917.

Patented May 17,1921.

WIT/M8858:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FERDINAND BECHOFF AND MAURICE M. SAMUE LS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNORS T0 LEWIS AND BOT-H COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYL'VANIA, A CORPO- RATION .OF PENNSYLVANIA.

AIR-BREAK swrron.

Specification of Letters Patent. I

Application filed May 3, 1917. Serial No. 166,256.

7 '0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that we, FERDINAND BECHOFF and MAURICE M. SAMUELs, citizens of the United States, and residents of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Air-Break Switches, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to an improvement in electric air-break switches used in connection with high voltage systems. Such airbreak switches are mostly used as outdoor switches and arranged for mounting on poles or on transmission towers, and are operated manually or electrically.

It is therefore essential that such air-break switches should be constructed to be operated under all weather conditions and in all climates. The existing air-break switches fulfil these requirements in part only and fail generally during the winter season. This is mostly due to the fact that the airbreak switches are often covered with ice over the contacts which prevents either the opening or the closing of the switch. In such cases it is necessary for an operator to ascend the pole or transmission tower and remove the ice. This is not only a very dangerous undertaking for the operator but may endanger the operation of the whole transmission line.

The purpose of our invention is to provide an air-break switch which will make it possible to break up any ice that may accumulate on the contacts, owing to the free exposure of the switch to the weather. Our air-break switch is so constructed that the ice can be broken and the switch cleared off in a short time by the operator while standing on the ground.

In accordance with our invention the operating mechanism of the air-break switch allows the successive raising and lowering of the switch blade by short movements of the operating lever in such a way that the switch blade acts as a hammer. The switch blade itself is provided, near the contact with suitably formed cutting edges or prongs which act as an ice pick. 7

Our invention will be best understood in connection with the accompanying drawing, which illustrates one of the .various forms in which it may be embodied and in wh1ch Figure 1 shows an assembly of a single 018 double break air-break switch in its open position, the closed position being shown in dotted lines.

F lgs. 2 and 3 show an enlarged view of the contact and the blade near the contact.

The form of air-break switch shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing consists of the two mam insulators 1 to which are fastened the two ends of the line 2. These insulators. carry the stationary contacts 3 and the horns 1 fastened to the insulator clamp by means of support 5, preferably made of angle iron. Insulators 1 are mounted on iron base or cross bar 7 by means of pins 14. Another pair of stationary insulators 6 is also fastened to base 7 in the same manner. The clamps on top of the insulators 6 form a hinge for the switch blades 8. Each of the latter carries on the contact making end a horn 9 and has an extension 11 on the opposite end beyond hinge 10. This extension 11 is connected to an arm 12 which forms part of the clamp of insulator 13. The pin of this insulator 13 is connected to a rectangular rod 15 which is guided by the metal pieces 16 in such a manner that rod 15 must slide up and down vertically.

The vertical raising and lowering of rod 15 and also of insulator 13 is accomplished Patented May 17, 1921.

coupling 20. The latter holds the operating rod 21. This operating rod can be moved up and down by means of a lever 22 and crank hanger 23. Said hanger 23 and lever 22 are provided with locking device 27 to secure the switch in its open or closed position.

Fig. 1 shows the switch in its open position. When, however, lever 22 is moved into the position indicated by dotted lines, lever 17 will move up to its dotted line position. This in turn will effect a raising of rod 15 and insulator 13 until arm 12 reaches its dotted line position. Raising of arm 12 will cause switch blade 8 to turn around hinge 10 toward contact 3 until blade 8 reaches its dotted line position -8 which represents the closed position of the switch. It is evident that by a relatively small movement of the operatin mechanism a large movement of the switc blade is obtained.

Since insulator 13 can be moved vertically of ice or sleet.

only and all mechanical forces acting upon saidinsulator are also vertical, it is evident that the movable insulator is not subject to lateral or torsional strains, and that the movement of the switch blade 8 1s accomhe breaking or loossame through such lateral or torsional strains is thus entirely avo ded.

In case of formation of ice or sleet near contact 3, it is only necessary to move oper-\ ating lever 22 repeatedly back and forth. This operation will shift the lnsulator 13, back and forth, and thereby cause a hammering action of switch blade 8 on contact 3, thus breakingup and removing the seal In order to carry the-breaking up of ice to its hi hest efliciency switch contact 3 and switch lade 8 are provided with ice breaking'means, of which'one form isshown in Figs. 2 and 3. The hammering and contact making end of switch blade 8 is provided on both sides with suitably formed prongs 26. These prongs or cutting ed es 26 are preferably formed as shown in T igs. 2 and 3 for the purpose of removing the sleet from the outer surfaces 24 of stationary contact 3. Said stationary contact 3 is likewise equipped with prongs 25 with which the switch blade 8, cooperates in freeing the switch of ice. Since switch blade 8 is provided on both sides with prongs 26, the ice and sleet can be broken up and removed for the purposeof either opening or closing the switch.- Fig. 1 shows a single pole, double break air-break switch. By making shaft 18 however, long enough any number of switches can be operated by a common mechanism.

It is also possible but not shown, to mount a sprocket wheel or rope wheel on shaft 18 and thus operate the switch by chain or rope y I The mechanism could also be operated means of a solenoid, motor or other electr1- cal, pneumatical or other means. Our invention can also be used as a disconnecting switch, mounted in the position shown in Fig. 1. By a modification of the operating mechanism proper and omission of arcing horns, the switch can also be mounted in an inverted position or with insulators forming a right angle or any other an le with the perpendicular.

ur invention may be embodied in many other forms different besides that shown and described. We therefore do not wish to be restricted to the precise arrangement disclosed, since various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of our invention.

What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. An outdoor air break switch comprising, in combination, a fixed contact, a fixed insulator, and a switch blade hinged to said fixed insulator, all freely exposed to the weather; a movable insulator operatively connected to the. switch blade; and means for giving said switch blade a hammering motion to cut away ice or sleet lodged on said contact or said switch blade by a direct push and pull on said movable insulator, with avoidance-of torsional or bending stresses thereon.

2. An outdoor air break switch compris-, I

ing, in combination, a fixed contact, a fixed insulator, and a switch blade for engaging saidcontact hinged to said fixed insulator, all freely exposed to the weather; an insulator movable in a straight line parallel to said fixed insulator; means connecting said ,movable insulator to said switch blade for movable insulator.

8. An outdoor high voltage air break swltch comprising a pole having thereon a cross bar with a fixed contact insulatively mounted thereon; an insulator on said cross bar, and a switch blade pivoted to said insulator; said switch blade and said fixed contact .being correlatively adapted to clear one another of ice by quick relative movement;

a shiftable slide member mounted on said cross bar, and an insulator on said slide member operatively connected with said switch blade' member by means adapted to cause a quick, hammer movement of said blade through a direct push and pull on said insulator when said slide member is shifted; and an operating rod connected to said slide member to enable said blade to be operated as aforesaid to clear the switch of ice.

1 4 In an air breakswitch; the combination of a fixed contact having ice-breaking toothed portions on its free end, of a hinged switch blade provided with ice breaking toothed portions on the edge facing said fixed contact, and means for moving said switch blade toward said fixed contact for the purpose of causing the ice breaking teeth on the fixed contact to cooperate with the ice breaking teeth on the movable switch blade when closing the switch.

5. In an air break switch, the combination of a fixed contact having toothed portions on its free end, and a hinged switch blade having toothed portions on its entering edge, and also having toothed portions on its opposite edge for the purpose of breaking ice when opening the switch.

6. In an outdoor air break switch, four stationary insulating members disposed in a straight line and forming a set, a fifth insulating member between the inner insulating members of the set, mechanism for moving said fifth insulating member toward and from a line through said four insulating members, electrical contacts provided with ice cutting prongs on the outer members of the set, switch blades pivotally secured to the inner members of the set and adapted to be rotated to make and break electrical connections with the said contacts and to cooperate with said prongs in freein the switch of ice, and an electrical con uctor secured to said fifth insulating member and pivotally and electrically connected to each of said switch blades whereby the latter are rotated to open and close the switch upon the operation of said mechanism.

7. In an air break switch, a stationary insulating member, an electrical contact on said member provided with ice cutting prongs, a second stationary insulating member, a contact blade pivotally secured to said second insulating member also provided with ice cutting prongs adapted to cooperate With the prongs on said contact, and a third insulating member pivotally connected to said contact blade and adapted to be oscillated toward and from a line through said first two insulating members to actuate said contact blade, thereby causing said cooperating prongs to cut away ice from the blade and contact to establish electrical connection therebetween.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this twenty-seventh day of April, A. D. 1917.

FERDINAND BECHOFF. MAURICE M. SAMUELS. Witnesses:

C. D. GRAY, LEIGHTON H. PEEBLES. 

